The Courting
by Lord Maximus
Summary: She perhaps had finally found a mortal that was worthy of her attention. She looked at him, seeing an armored warrior, his organic body broken in almost every form but his indomitable will and power made him even more interesting to the point that she knew she must have him as her own. A mortal worthy to court Death. PART OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE APPRENTICE SERIES.


**The Courting**

The universe was a vast and complex place but to a being like her it was so…

Boring.

She felt and sensed the deaths of those who passed everyday which allowed her to maintain the slightest interest in this plane of existence. She knew of the struggles between the Jedi and the Sith that lasted for countless centuries.

But what she did not expect was this.

A new Sith Empire had arisen that was quick to conquer over a dozen planets. What earned her interest was the man leading them. A man with great power and skill who was on the front lines, descending onto the battle field like a wraith and delivered quick and brutal hands to all who suffered his wrath. He was without mercy as he fought the strongest of warriors, emerging victorious in every struggled, be it through land, air, fire, water, and even the void of space itself. And she watched him more and more as he conquered planets in the name of his Empire her interest grew more as he was unknowingly courting her with all of his slain victims.

His powers and skills were great and he did not suffer incompetence in any form. He even ensured everything was done properly himself, not afraid to dirty his own hands unlike many of his predecessors who hid himself in the shadows and ordered others to do his dirty work.

Such a capacity for destruction.

Such skill and power.

Such a lack of mercy.

She perhaps had finally found a mortal that was worthy of her attention. She looked at him, seeing an armored warrior, his organic body broken in almost every form but his indomitable will and power made him even more interesting to the point that she knew she must have him as her own.

A mortal worthy to court Death.

* * *

The struggles between the Light Side and the Dark Side had yielded many tales of so many figures spoken for many years.

Darth Revan, the Revanchist.

Darth Bane, the Savior.

Darth Plagues, the Wise.

Darth Sidious, the Sly.

Darth Maul, the Vengeful.

Darth Tyranus, the Philosopher.

And Darth Vader, the Feared.

But very few believed in the legend of Darth Thanos, the Fist.

Known simply as the Dark Lord by his most loyal minions while others dubbed him as the Mad Titan, Darth Thanos once ruled a large part of the galaxy as one of the most powerful and feared warlords. Like all Sith Lords who made their mark on galactic history Darth Thanos was known for attempting to dominate the galaxy and like all Sith Lords he sought to use dark and powerful weapons. The Sith had been responsible for the creation and use of the most powerful weapons in galactic history.

The Mass Gravity Generator.

The Star Forge.

The Dark Reaper.

The Planet Destroyer.

The Death Star.

Darth Thanos however was said to have come closer than any Sith Lord to gaining the power to alter reality itself. Darth Thanos had discovered ancient stones created by the Celestials as a means of placing judgment upon worlds and their populaces, wiping out entire civilizations. He gathered his greatest alchemists and mystics and ordered them to create a way to contain these stones so he could use them to alter the Force itself. Using the most ancient and powerful of Sith rituals to create a gauntlet, the Infinity Gauntlet that allowed him to wield all of the powers of the stones.

The Space Stone which had the power of instant access to any location in the universe.

The Mind Stone which had the power to subjugate the minds of others, bending them to the will of the user, as well as project the user's consciousness to a higher plane of existence.

The Reality Stone which had the power to grant immense strength, power, and seemingly unlimited capabilities.

The Power Stone which had the power to destroy an entire planet.

Darth Thanos became so powerful he was not only feared by the Jedi but also his own fellow Sith. This led to an alliance between both sides for the first time in history to stop him and in a great battle that led to the deaths of billions and the destruction of a dozen planets Darth Thanos was defeated.

But the Infinity Gauntlet had been lost to the sands of time.

Until it was discovered again by Darth Vader who sought a way to overthrow his master, Darth Sidious. The Gauntlet and the stones had called for him and he tracked them down one by one.

Until the Infinity Gauntlet itself was placed before him, the power to not only destroy the Emperor but to become so powerful he would no longer be bound by the cybernetic suit his broken body had been placed in or by the manipulations of the man who had ensured his fall to the Dark Side would remain beyond his reach.

"Does this please you?"

Vader spun around, seeing someone sitting in his meditation chamber. "Who are you? Answer quickly or die."

The woman chuckled in amusement. "Such arrogance. I suppose that is to be expected from a mortal such as you, even in your…condition."

She stood up and walked forward slowly, allowing Vader to look upon her. She had no presence and yet something about her felt familiar.

An echo of the past…

"You have seen my kind before. We exist far above you mortals, able to live forever, acting as pure embodiments of your Force." The woman smiled darkly, sending an actual chill through Vader who hid it well. "The Daughter, bathed in bright light and representing all that is good…The Son, shrouded in darkness, the pure black heart of the dark side…And me…I am Death."

Vader stared at her. "You claim to represent death?"

"Not represent. I _am_ Death." The woman said as her form shifted before Vader's eyes and now resembled someone from his past.

His deceased mother.

"I am all those who die and become one with the Force." Her form shifted again, becoming another familiar face.

Asajj Ventress.

"All those lost souls who come together. Their memories…"

Shaak Ti.

"Their dreams…"

The Daughter.

"The lives they have lived…"

Barriss Offee.

"The ones they have forgotten…"

Aayla Secura.

"And everything who they have been from their moment of birth."

Vader stepped back as the last form was that of his wife, Padme Amidala. "Enough!"

Death in the form of Padme laughed coldly. "Does this hurt you, oh great dark lord? I thought you'd be pleased to see me again after you killed me so cruelly."

"Amidala died long ago. Do not use her face and voice around me again!" Vader snarled, activating his lightsaber and swung it.

Death shifted back into form as she blocked his lightsaber. "Very well, but you have earned my attention, Darth Vader, just as Darth Thanos attempted to do as long ago. By your own hands so many have died, earning attention…I've never felt such interest in a mortal before, even the few who have demonstrated the kind of willpower you have shown. You wish to be powerful enough to reign supreme and you shall…"

Death smiled coldly. "With your body restored to its true form."

Vader hesitated. "You can heal my injuries?"

"I can _restore_ you to your prime. But in exchange from this point on you will belong to me." Death leaned in close to Vader's masked face and placed her hand on his chest. "To conquer all of the galaxy is to court…Death. My power will aid you and you will shower me with more gifts, the souls of those who stand in your way."

She lifted his mask off but instead of a heavily scarred and burned face Vader felt his face and gasped in shock as saw his face…

The face of Anakin Skywalker.

"My warrior, my dark lord, my…" Death leaned in and kissed Vader deeply.

"Chosen One."

From this point on, Darth Vader was now know not just as the Feared but as the Hand of Death.


End file.
